University of Virginia Library

TO THE MEMORY OF BLOOMFIELD (II)

The shepherd musing o'er his summer dreams,
The May-day wild flowers in the meadow grass,
The sunshine sparkling in the valley streams,
The singing ploughman and haymaking lass—
These live, the summer of thy rural themes;
Thy green memorials these, and they surpass
The cobweb praise of fashion; every May
Shall find a native Giles beside his plough,
Joining the skylark's song at early day;
And summer, rustling in the ripening corn,
Shall meet thy rustic lover as sweet as now,
Offering to Mary's lips ‘the brimming horn’;
And seasons round thy humble grave shall be
Fond lingering pilgrims to remember thee.